Aughra
Aughra was the embodiment of Thra, acting as the world's eyes and voice. Created by the Crystal shortly after Thra's formation to bring peace between plants and animals, Aughra guided the Gelfling in their early development, but later shifted her attention to the stars after being seduced by the otherworldly knowledge of the urSkeks. After the Great Division, she abandoned Thra in order to continue her research into the stars, returning later to guide the Gelfling resistance against the Skeksis. Biography Birth and early history Aughra was given life by the Crystal during the Age of Innocence, in order to give a voice to the stones and eyes to the forests. According to The Covenants of Thra by Fellen the Elder, Aughra's creation was prompted by a war of supremacy between flora and fauna. It was her intervention which established the balance of the world, and she would renew the covenant between the two belligerents every nine trine, merging with Thra and becoming one with both.Froud, B., Holguin , B., Sheikman, A. & John, L. (2011). The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. I. Archaia. She named all the creatures of Thra and developed a maternal fondness for the young Gelfling race, which she guided in their early development, teaching them through Dreamfasting the nature of the Crystal, how to plant, when to harvest and what creatures or trees to avoid. Her attention shifted skywards when an otherworldly object fell on Thra and gifted her with a son, Raunip.Froud, B., Dysart, J., Sheikman, A. & John, L. (2012). The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. II. Archaia. Prompted by this event, and with the Gelfling now thriving, Aughra became obsessed with learning the secrets of the world outside Thra, creating the first Tree of Life, which permitted her to chart the movements of the stars and the Three Suns. Through her research, Aughra predicted the coming of the first Great Conjunction, and single-mindedly prepared for it while neglecting her son and the Gelflings. Meeting the urSkeks When the long-awaited Great Conjunction was imminent, Aughra and Raunip positioned themselves near the Crystal, whose blinding light burned one of Aughra's eyes. The urSkeks emerged from the Crystal and healed her, proclaiming themselves ambassadors and light bringers. They enchanted Aughra with their gifts of knowledge, and built an orrery for her. She developed a particularly close friendship with the urSkek TekTih, who contributed most to her research.Froud, B. & Llewellyn, J. J., (2003) The World of the Dark Crystal. Pavilion Books. Aughra became devoted to the urSkeks and withdrew from the world even further, much to the anger of her son, who viewed the offworlders with suspicion. Tensions between mother and son rose when Aughra intervened to stop Raunip from inciting the Gelflings into driving the urSkeks from Thra by force. At the Great Division 990 trine after the arrival of the urSkeks, Aughra began to prepare for the second Great Conjunction by constructing a network of mirrors around the Crystal, hoping that their refracted light would allow the urSkeks to purge themselves of their darker impulses and allow them to return to their homeworld. Ten trine later, with the Conjunction imminent, Aughra was present at the Great Division, witnessing the Skeksis drive the urRu from the castle. She pleaded with the Skeksis to rejoin with their other halves, but was rebuffed, and watched helplessly as they cracked the Crystal. Before the Skeksis could attack her, Aughra climbed down the shaft of the Crystal with her son, feeling her knowledge and memories slip away from her. The pair then spent several months searching for the cracked Crystal's lost shard, the only object capable of restoring the urSkeks. When mother and son emerged with a basket of crystal fragments, Aughra stayed at her orrery, oblivious to the outside world as she searched for the true shard, ignoring the destruction caused by the Makrak raids and the implications behind the formation of the Alliance of the Crystal. Her faculties began slipping, at one point forgetting who Raunip was, thus causing him to leave her. Though tearful, she remained silent when Raunip bid her goodbye when he volunteered to lead the Makraks to the Field of Fire.B. Froud, M. Dow Smith, A. Sheikman & L. John (2015). The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. III. Archaia. . Some trine later, Aughra grew to trust the Skeksis and agreed to leave the Crystal in their care in order to continue her research into the stars via astral projection, unaware that the Skeksis intended to use the Crystal to prolong their lives. Awakening Awoken from her astral projection by the spread of the Darkening, Aughra sought answers from the Skeksis,"Nothing Is Simple Anymore" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019 demanding to see the Crystal for herself, but was banished from the Castle by skekSo. On her way out, she saw the Crystal and realized the full extent of its abuse by the Skeksis. The Crystal spoke to her via a projection of her past self, showing Aughra how the Skeksis were unbalancing Thra by consuming Gelfling essence. The apparition tasked Aughra with guiding fate by finding the "song of Thra", something she had lost while stargazing. ]] Aughra encountered urVa the Archer near the Sanctuary Tree and asked him for help to hear the song again, to which he cryptically indicated that the answer lay within Thra itself."The First Thing I Remember Is Fire" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019 Using several Mystic methods of divination, Aughra failed to hear the song of Thra, and became further demoralised when a creature afflicted with the Darkening died in her hands. She beseeched the Sanctuary Tree not to forgive her or to help her, but to help the creature. After purging it of Darkening and reviving it, Aughra decided to wait and listen rather than trying to prompt Thra to "talk"."She Knows All the Secrets" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019 Aughra gradually began to hear Thra sing, and joined in with the song with increasing speed until she and numerous Gelfling all found themselves in the Dream Space. Aughra welcomed Rian, Deet, and numerous others, overruling their questions in order to introduce everyone. Aughra explained that their bodies were still on Thra, but that the Dream Space was "the source of magic and prophecy", and that The Crystal of Truth had brought them there to ask for their help to defeat the Skeksis. At that moment, Seladon burst out that it was treason, and began arguing with All-Maudra Mayrin until Aughra demanded to know if she would heed "Thra's call", to which Seladon said she would not give in to chaos. In response, Aughra ejected Seladon from the Dream Space. Aughra then gathered the remaining Gelfling around the Crystal, and it revealed to them the Skeksis' crimes. After the revelation, Aughra ordered Rian to Ha'rar, and from there to continue with Deet, Brea, and Lore to the Circle of the Suns. Aughra also tasked Naia, Kylan, and Gurjin with spreading news of the Skeksis' crimes to other Gelfling Clans. After All-Maudra Mayrin pledged Vapra to the cause, Aughra closed the Dream Space and returned everyone to their bodies. Post-Garthim War Ending up with the Shard of the Division, Aughra remained in her observatory, which contained a complex orrery that shows the suns, moons, stars and planets of their solar system and their relative positions and motions, until Jen arrived to obtain the Shard before the Garthim arrived. The resulting conflict destroyed Aughra's home as she ends up being taken to the Castle of the Crystal, rebuking the Skeksis for pillaging her residence before she is locked away in skekTek's Chamber of Life until she is freed and witnesses the urSkeks restored to their true forms. Aughra makes a return appearance in the comic book sequel to The Dark Crystal, titled The Power of the Dark Crystal. Gallery Aughra.jpg Age of Resistance promo 1.jpg References External Links * * Category:Characters Category:The Dark Crystal characters Category:Legends of the Dark Crystal characters Category:The Power of the Dark Crystal characters Category:Beneath the Dark Crystal characters Category:Species Category:The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance characters Category:Females Category:The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths characters